In a decent bit of continuity from the Sharks union, Vodacom Cup head coach Sean Everitt will again take charge of the under 21 side in this year’s ABSA Under 21 competition. Everitt has named a strong squad, including a fair few players that he knows well from last year’s under 21 and this year’s Vodacom Cup campaigns.

The season kicks off on Friday 20 July, with a match against Free State and while Everitt has already started putting the bulk of the squad through their paces, he’ll want to get the seven members who are currently with the Baby Boks in Cape Town back into the fold as soon as possible. Both Pieter-Steph du Toit and Paul Jordaan have been named in the squad, although with both currently part of the Super Rugby squad – and also widely expected to play Currie Cup rugby at senior level this year – it’s unlikely that Everitt will see much of them.

It’s the second row where the Sharks are going to struggle this year. If du Toit does play, then he and Lewies could form a solid combination. However, it’s more likely that we’ll see loose forward Brendon Groenewald pressed into service here.

A decent set of loosies, with plenty of competition at openside between Majola, Kleinhans and Cloete. With Steyn and Alexander, together with Willemse all good options at 7 and 8, Groenewald could even play lock if required.

Plaudits here must go to Hanco Venter, who was still at school last year and has capped a meteoric rise by bypassing under 19 level altogether. He also played Vodacom Cup rugby this year ahead of boys a few years older than him.

It’s a ridiculously strong set of centres, with Wandile Mjekevu included at wing, but equally adept at 13. The established pair of Williams and Lindeque will be pushed hard by KES schoolmates Meyer and Mjekevu.

27 Comments

Seeing that Simon Kerrod is from Pretoria Boys High, I’d love to find out the stats to see which union Pretoria Boys has supplied more players to… the Bulls or the Sharks?

To my knowledge, recent times it has only been Chiliboy Rapapelli, Henry Bandjies and Fudge Mabeta who have gone to the Bulls while the likes of John Smit, Brian Liebenberg (Natal u/21 before he went to France and was capped 13?? times for Les Bleus) and now Simon Kerrod. Of course, our illustrious CEO Brian van Zyl is also a Pretoria Boys old boy.

Comment 1, posted at 15.06.12 10:09:35 by Butchie34

FYI. Players who attended SA U20 training camps, but aren’t in this squad:

@Richard Ferguson (Comment 13) : Tera can come and play Super Rugby at home with the Kings!

Comment 14, posted at 15.06.12 12:43:57 by Megatron

@Richard Ferguson (Comment 13) : it’s a tough one… I mean, what happens to any player that’s on the fringes of the squad, but not u21 any more? There isn’t a competition for them to play in other than club rugby.

Comment 15, posted at 15.06.12 13:23:32 by robdylan

Were is stefan ungerer? Is he u19? And if so has been passed by this venter guy?

@Megatron (Comment 19) : So you agree Tera is better than Luke. Good to know

Comment 20, posted at 15.06.12 15:07:36 by Die Kriek

@Die Kriek (Comment 20) : no, it would be a boon to have them both on the field…again, nobrainer

Comment 21, posted at 15.06.12 15:21:38 by Megatron

Hope to see Emil back in August…he’s gonna make a huge impact, and if by some reason the Sharks’ medical team can’t get Emil’s speed back they could always try him at 8…think it’s a position which he could definitely be able to do great in. But hope he still got the speed…having such a big and very aggressive guy on the wing is a huge plus for any team…just the same impact Alesana Tuilagi and Julien Savea have made.

Comment 22, posted at 15.06.12 15:33:54 by JJR

@Megatron (Comment 21) : with Vleis at 7… could be a nice lostrio daai

Comment 23, posted at 15.06.12 15:51:11 by robdylan

what is happening with emil? is he back? motivated ? i hope he stays the same player! zeilenga said he was the hardest player he has ever played against!

Comment 24, posted at 08.08.12 19:01:31 by mpho2010

@JJR (Comment 22) : @JJR (Comment 22) : @JJR (Comment 22) : when is emil schwarz comig back?!!! he is easily the best wing i have ever played against in matric weighed 100kg and 1.92m and insanely fast! ran the 100m in grade 9 under 11secs!

Comment 25, posted at 08.08.12 19:04:57 by mpho2010

@mpho2010 (Comment 25) : I dunno, hey… horrible injury that. He should be close to making his comeback now

Comment 26, posted at 08.08.12 19:52:07 by robdylan

I heard emil schwarz was coming back in august??? I hope he recovers well